48
Par. 20. I do not think, with Mr. Moir, that very large recoveries for the current year's tax were made in December 1883, is any proof that the people probably could have paid the arrears due in 1882 had they chosen to do so. Before December 1883, a great part of the lands in default for payment of arrears had been sold, and were then in the hands of wealthier proprietors who had means of paying the current year's grain tax.
Par. 21. Mr. Moir says, "the rice grown certainly fell far short of the requirements of the population."
This would certainly seem to throw grave doubt on the propriety of selling crops for arrears due.
66
Par. 23. "There is nothing to show that, at the time, the officers charged with the duty of collecting the revenue had reason to believe that the defaulters were really "unable to pay."
"The Ratémahatmeya of Uda Hewaheta reported that the recovery of the tax could "not then be pressed without danger of so crippling the resources of the people as to "lead to danger of a famine in the following year." These two sentences seem to me
a little inconsistent.
"Distraint proceedings were at once stopped." is that they were almost immediately resumed. Inquire.
But for how long? My impression What were the dates of sales ?
REPORT ON Alleged Deaths from STARVATION in the NUWARA ELIYA DISTRICT.
(No. 1,094.)
Ceylon
Western Province Central Province Northam Provizon
Negombo Kágalle
Ratnapura
Kalutara
Sir,
Kandy Kachcheri, October 19, 1889. I HAVE the honour to enclose a paper of replies to the remarks referred to in letter of the 16th instant, No. 924.
I am, &c. (Signed)
your
R. W. D. MOIR,
•
49
Deatha to 1,000 Parsons living.
1881.
1881
1658.
1844.
1895.
1094.
1907.
37.3
10.8
19.9
29.1
29.0
33.7
94.0
21-1
16.2
15.5
15.9
## 2
30.3
32-2
24.4
19.4
17.7
26.3
29.9
29-0
33.3
15.8
10-9
20.6
31-5
$7.0
10.0
Southern Province
52'2
18.4
18.9
17-0
22:4
34.6
31.3
Fastern Province
44.7
26.1
24.0
41.7
24.3
North-Western Province
32-4
38.9
25.6
34.0
42.0
20.8
39.2
North-Central Province
44.9
34.9
38.8
36.3
54.1
35.8
31.9
Province of Ura
94.0
14.7
95.8
17.8
81-5
17.0
83.0
Western Province ----
Colombo
15.5
13.8
18.4
18.4
18.7
17-8
18-7
18.0
19.9
13·2-
14.9
15.4
39-4
36.8
17.1
16.9
31-5
39.7
19.7
97.1
13.6
98.4
25-8
23.6
$7.6
30-4
89.9
16.8
15.6
15.3
14.4
$1.7
34.0
30.9
Central Province ;-
Kandy
24.8
19.4
18-1
95.1
98.7
99.8
10.9
Hitl
40-5
27-9
388
45.8
24.0
Nuwara Eliya
7.1
16.3
12.9
11.9
$1.9
30.5
19.5
22-9
Northern Provinos :-
Jaffna
31.4
·18-0
16.6
18.0
39.8
96.6
17.9
Mannár
36.5
35-1
37.8
41.1
43.0
42-6
36.7
Mullait ári
Vavuniya-Vilankulam
27.0
$7.5
41.0
38.9
55.4
33.9
33.6
Southers Province :~~
Galle
31.9
17.0
18.8
18-2
23.3
97.0
31.0
Mitara
19.1
16.6
10.0
16.1
19.5
29.2
19.1
Hoteltoes
$1.0
33.8
31.1
20-3
29.1
26.8
28.4
Eastern Province —
Batticalos
82.5
#7.8
23.5
34.2
40.5
24.1
29.8
Tripomaion
45.6
2016
39.6
30.1
54.3
26.3
23.4
North-Western Provinsa :----
Kurunegala
60.6
31.7
28.1
40.7
48.5
97.7
85.9
Puttalam
20.9
11.4
18.6
18.9
37.0
78.5
98.3
North-Central Provinos -
Auaridhapura
44.8
34.2
28.3
56.3
56.1
23.8
31.1
Provings of Uva :-
Badulla
26.0
24.7
25.9
27.6
81.5
17.0
35-0
The Hon. the Colonial Secretary.
REPLIES referred to.
i.Par. 17. I am not sure that this is an altogether fair comparison. A com- parison between the mortality of two large, wealthy, and populous districts would hardly be affected by even the total dis appearance of a village here and there among them. The true comparison would be between the mortality of several villages of about the same population during a series of years.
Government Agent.
As the charge made was that a large (and presumably exceptional) number of deaths had occurred in consequence of fields being sold for the recovery of grain tax, and as the lands sold were situated in all parts of, at any rate, two divisions of the Nuwara Eliya district, it seemed to me, and I still think, that any unusual mortality affecting so material a portion of the district must have affected the rate of the whole district. If particular villages ought to have been picked out for com- parison, I do not clearly see by what principle I should have been guided in inaking the selection; or how, after the selection was made, I should have got information of the actual mortality in each during a series of years. Taking the most recent figures published, those appearing on page xx of the Registrar - General's Administration Report for 1888, which I insert below, the death-rate of the Nuwara Eliya district compares favourably with that of other parts of the island through- out the period embraced in the return.
ii. Par. 20. I do not think with Mr. Moir that very large recoveries for the current year's tax were made in December 1883 is any proof that the people probably could have paid the arrears due in 1882 had they chosen to do so. Before Decem- ber 1883, a great part of the lands in default for payment of arrears had been sold, and were then in the hands of wealthier proprietors, who had means of paying the current year's grain tax.
"
*
iii.—Par. 21. Mr. Moir says, the rice grown certainly fell far short of the requirements of the population." This would certainly seem to throw grave doubt on the propriety of selling crops for arrears due.
1 63068.
G
What I have written is necessarily, and is put forward only as, an expression of opinion. The concluding part of the paragraph must be read with what imme- diately precedes it. The petitions referred to by me show that many persons whose lands were sold offered immediately after the sales to pay what they owed, if allowed to do so, and if the sales were cancelled. From what Mr. Baumgartner wrote, I gathered that he had in his mind the numerous sales of the previous year. He came to the conclusion that the professions of inability to pay, which could hardly have emanated from the new wealthier pro- prietors, were unfounded, and I took that to be some additional evidence that those who could have paid in 1882 persisted in not doing so. I may, of course, be wrong; I do not bring this forward as a fact, but as an inference.
So far as I know, crops sold were not bought for removal from the district. And if the arrears were to be recovered at all, it certainly seems to me that it was in con- sonance with the wishes of Government to recover the tax by sale of the crop, when practicable, and to proceed against the land only as a last resort.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
། །
Reference :---
C.G 882
5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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